


Obligations or Obstacles

by JasnNCarly



Category: True Blood (TV)
Genre: F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-25
Updated: 2009-09-25
Packaged: 2019-06-12 04:58:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15332292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly





	Obligations or Obstacles

**Obligations or Obstacles**

Blinking back the tears which created never-ending pools in her dark eyes, she continued to fidget with her fingertips and stare at the cut door of his home. Ashamed. Lost. Absolutely broken by what had happened to her since their friendship had fallen apart.  
  
As much as she wanted to knock on the door, plead for some understanding, she felt as though she didn’t deserve it.   
  
_Not from Lafayette. Not from Mama. And not from him._  
  
She accepted the thought with a bitter swallow and began to let her white sneakers dig into the dirt, leading her away.  
  
The swish sound of an opening door caused her to freeze, eyes wide towards the distance with surprise and uncertainty.  
  
“Tara?”  
  
The sound of his slight accent, mixed with the calm he so consistently offered her caused her knees to buckle and she could not find the courage to face him.   
  
“Are you okay?”  
  
_No._  The response was immediate in her mind, but she found herself tongue tied.  
  
How to you apologize for turning your back on one of your only friends? How do you apologize for making his life a living hell? How do you make up for nearly being a part of his demise?  
  
She turned her body towards him, but shame weighed her head to a bow as she softly admitted, “No…I’m not.”  
  
“Well…” Hesitating only slightly, he descended the stairs down to her, “Did something else happen?”  
  
“Are you fucking kidding me?” An angry smile released a bitter laugh as she questioned him with bluntness which only she could allow herself, absent of all manners. Unable to contain herself any longer, especially while lost in his kind blue gaze, she tearfully admitted, “I have no idea how to say I’m sorry, Sam. I mean—I just can’t seem to stop making things worse and worse. I—I nearly helped a crazy lady kill you and God knows what else yet—“  
  
“Tara, we know it wasn’t your fault.”  
  
Ignoring his interruption, she forced herself to go on, “I’m standing here. Wondering what I can ever do to make this up to one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. And…I just don’t know how. But,” Tara’s tears began to interfere with her speech as she shook her head, insisting, “I’m so very sorry. What I did was so fucking messed up and cruel, I don’t know how anyone could ever forgive me.”  
  
As she began to breakdown, trying to hide her face in her palms, Sam watched with a little reserve. Everything she said was true. However, even knowing MaryAnn was after him alone, he had always worried about her intentions with Tara far beyond any worry for himself.  
  
It was why he couldn’t leave Bon Temps, no matter how scared he was. It was why he was so tempted to offer himself when Daphne had revealed her true intentions. Seeing Tara so out of control, it broke his heart and returned a little of his courage.  
  
With all of this in mind, he wrapped his arms around her shivering body in the thick heat of a Louisiana day. The moment their bodies had made contact his eyes closed comfortably, savoring the feel of her body in his arms once more.   
  
For a moment, he held her there and allowed his presence to calm hers. Patient with her tears. Forgiving of her mistakes. Loving without a hint of hate.  
  
Sam released her slowly, careful not to break contact, and locked their gaze before allowing his fingertips to brush away her tears, “You got no reason to cry, Tara. It’s over.”  
  
“Not for me. Not by a long shot.”  
  
Letting out a sharp breath, he dropped his hands to his blue jean pockets, “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine. Still in one piece.”  
  
“No thanks to me. No thanks to Eggs.”  
  
The mention of his name made every hair on his body stand on end as he lowered his tone to a low growl, “Please, tell me you’re not still around him.”  
  
“He’s the only who doesn’t hate me. I’m not real good on turning on people, much better at pushing them away.”   
  
Suddenly, she had returned with a fierce independence and pride which had drove them apart in the very beginning.   
  
“Don’t give me that bullshit, Tara. I know you.”  
  
“Yeah, and it almost got you killed.”  
  
“A lot of things almost get you killed in Bon Temps.” Sam’s growl surprised them both as he allowed the thought to escape his lips before he could catch it.   
  
Gathering his emotions, he continued, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here, and I care about you.”  
  
“Sam, don’t do that to me.” Her response was also unexpected but, unlike Sam, she had no way of censoring herself, “Can’t you just be an asshole and hate me for a second? It’s okay! I’m giving you permission to stop being so damn understanding and treat me like shit. Just do that, would you?!”  
  
“Why? So you can be right?”  
  
His laugh angered her as she began to feel the anger overtake any need to apologize, “Look, we both know what I respond to. How’d I do last time you were so sweet? Didn’t we drop each other straight on the ass? Maybe if you got a little angry, I’d know—“  
  
“Damn it, I’m not going to do things just because you want me to!" His outburst caused a long silence between them.   
  
She was tempted to run, drown in self loathing, yet stood strong in her need to come to an understanding with him.  
  
He was on a completely different wave length, desperate to remind of her times before she disappeared from the party – only to reappear under MaryAnn’s control.  
  
It had been good for them. He was convinced of that as she remained before him, wanting to make amends. They had forgotten everything; Sookie, Jason, and all of Bon Temps seemed to fade to the background in that brief amount of time they were lost in one another. Deep down, he longed to have his escape back.

Now was not the time.  
  
Putting his feelings on the back burner, he glanced at his watch. Sam began to make his way back inside, announcing, “You better be to work on time tonight. One more no show, and I’m firing your ass.”  
  
Tara’s jaw dropped in disbelief as he shut the door behind himself, leaving her alone in a completely new state –  ** _confused_**.


End file.
